The 'Silver Linings Playbook' actor says, 'I want to be part of the solution' to issues regarding mental illness after he plays a bipolar disorder patient in the movie.
- Jun 4, 2013
AceShowbiz - Bradley Cooper was among the attendees of a conference about mental health which took place in White House on Monday, June 3. Cooper, who had a chance to talk about the discussed topic, said that at first mental illness was an "abstract idea" for him.
As quoted by New York Daily News, he told the audience that "it was as if a veil had been lifted" after he secured a role as a man with bipolar disorder in "Silver Linings Playbook". Since then, "I want to be part of the solution. And the way to do that is to talk about it, to bring awareness."
"Albert Nobbs" actress Glenn Close joined Cooper in the one-day conference which was also attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden. President and Vice President announced the government's support to spread awareness in regards to mental illness during the event. The campaign, which will be spread on TV, radio and social media, will also include an effort to reduce stigma about the patients. In addition, mental health service and insurance coverage for veteran were also discussed.
"It's heavily stigmatized. It's not a very treatable disease. It's a condition, if we liken it to cancer, diagnosed at stage four, well... that's way too late. So hopefully, a movie like this will help it become, you know, [more treatable] in the onset," Cooper said in January. "The best part about this thing is that it's able to reach out and make people feel included. I can't wait to go," the actor said of visiting military veterans who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
